Time's Arrow Marches Forward
by sleekstar
Summary: Follow the story of Azami, the powerful priestess who harbors inside her a long forgotten jewel, the Tokay no Kedamono. After meeting Kagome and the gang, an injured Sesshomaru falls into her lap and she decides to heal him. What is it about him that draws her to the stubborn yokai, when normally his attitude would drive her off? OC x Sesshomaru, will have lemons later
1. Chapter 1

_Author's notes: I in no way am affiliated or own anything Inuyasha. I guess I've gotta say that bit, huh?_

 _I've been wanting to write a fanfic for a while now, here we go!_

 _Just a forewarning this doesn't really follow the timeline of the manga or anime. This just kinda does what it wants._

 _Yes there will be lemons and smutty stuff later on.. But it'll be a minute before that good stuff happens. This is my first time truly writing fan fiction, let me know what you think! Enjoy!_

 **CHAPTER ONE**

The wind whipped furiously across the tops of the trees surrounding a grassy clearing in which a band of six companions huddled around a campfire. The peak of dawn's first light was just beginning to spread its golden rays across the landscape, illuminating the forest that had seemed so threatening just moments before. It actually seemed rather beautiful now, as drops of dew had formed on soft leaves and shadows retreated for yet another day.

The first one to stir was the young fox demon, Shippo. His rust colored ears flicked and he let out a small yawn, stretching his arms up into the air. "Waaaah... Kagomeeee.. Wake up I'm hungry!"

Kagome rubbed her eyes sleepily, a smile turning up the corners of her mouth as she laughed softly at her small ward. Her dark hair was messy and tangled from a restless sleep, and she moved slowly as she sat herself upright. "Alright, Shippo. I'll get started on breakfast. What would you like?" Shippo didn't waste any time in replying. "Pancakes!" Beside Shippo, a small cat demon stirred. Kirara suddenly picked her head up and mewled in delight. Kagome laughed again at her friends. "Alright, pancakes it will be!"

Sitting to Kagome's right was Inuyasha, a surly look on his face as always. "You look terrible, Kagome." Her expression quickly turned sour as she whipped her head around to face him. "Shut up, Inuyasha! That's not something you're supposed to say to a woman!" The hanyou scoffed under his breath, "Since when are you a woman?" He expected this to fall upon deaf ears. It did not. "SIT, BOY!" Kagome screeched at him, sending the dog demon into the dirt.

Miroku ran his fingers through his hair with an amused expression on his face. "Good to see we're off to a great start this morning." Beside him, Sango rolled her eyes and focused her gaze on Kagome's tired face. "Did you not sleep well last night, Kagome?"

Hearing her friend's soothing voice, the fire in Kagome died down and she sighed heavily, turning away from Inuyasha. "To be honest, not really.." She admitted, trailing off. The miko rubbed her eyes gingerly, taking another deep breath of crisp morning air. At least it looked like it was going to be a nice day. "For some reason I kept feeling a strange sensation last night.. It.. almost reminds me of what it feels like when a shard of the Shikon jewel is nearby, but this was different." Sango's head tilted in puzzlement. "Different how?"

Kagome turned her gaze to the tops of the trees, listening to the wind blow through the leaves and watching as birds began to flit between their branches. She paused for a moment more then replied, "It's going to sound strange.. But if I had to put it into words it almost feels like another jewel is nearby.. A different jewel." Inuyasha instantly let out a gruff scoff at her words, snorting back at her, "You're losing it Kagome, there is no other jewel like the Shikon no Tama." Miroku sat looking thoughtful, and piped up a moment after Inuyasha spoke. "I've heard legends of a second jewel thought to rival the Shikon jewel, but they were just children's tales, told by drunken men too far into their cups. It is just myth." Sango gave him a thoughtful glance. "Perhaps it is not, then.." She trailed off. All eyes turned to Kagome.

Her face grew red under the stares of her companions. She quickly raised her hands up to her face, waving them to dismiss their curious thoughts. "Guys, guys! Come on, you know that can't be true. We would've heard about it, seen it, something right? Maybe it's a regular shard of the jewel that's been put under a different barrier or something, I don't think it's cause for this much concern!" Her dismissal of the idea seemed to give her companions second thought on their musings, and they quickly disbanded their conversation about it. Sango nodded her head, feeling silly that she had entertained the idea at all. "No, you're right. We would know if there was a second jewel. We should check it out anyways, just to be safe though." Miroku nodded his head in agreement, his eyes lingering just a bit longer than normal on Sango's face. Kagome couldn't help but smile. She loved her friends to death.

Rummaging through her bag, Kagome pulled out a box of pancake mix. "Alright, now that that's settled, who's hungry!"

Their group ate with gusto, enjoying the sweet fluffy bread of the pancakes and soon set off in the direction of Kagome's mystery shard. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about it, though she wasn't about to bring up the discussion with her friends again. Inuyasha had made a few more jabs at her that morning about her mind beginning to go and losing her touch, but her thoughts were lost in trying to pinpoint the nature of this strange feeling. He soon gave up on trying to tease her, focusing his attention on the road ahead. It took a few days of travel, but they were nearing their destination.

"I can sense it, we're getting close..." Kagome mumbled under her breath, just loud enough for her friends to hear. They had managed to venture out of the dense forest, across open fields and rocky hills, and were once again approaching woodland. These trees were not as thick and looming as before, feeling much less threatening. It was almost as though they put her at ease, quelling a bit of the tension that had built up in Kagome's chest. Taking a steady breath, she took her first step under the shade of the foliage, wandering into uncharted lands.

"We haven't seen much since we set out. Not a village, a hut, a farm.. Not even another person or demon!" Shippo piped up, his voice breaking the silence under the saplings. Miroku let out a 'hmm' as he gave it some thought. "You know Shippo, I believe you're right. We haven't seen evidence of any living creature in quite some time." Inuyasha spoke in a soft tone, one of his more thoughtful and quiet moments, "You know monk, I think you're right." The others chatted softly amongst themselves as they walked on, while Kagome stayed quietly intent on their target.

A few miles into the copse the ground began to show evidence that something or someone frequented these woods. There were paths worn down by constant footfall that weaved through the trees, but one in particular seemed a little more trodden than the others. It proved to be sloping in the direction of whatever was giving Kagome such uncertainty, and the friends hiked on with new determination flaring in their chests. Soon the trees parted and a small clearing came into view. A small home sat on the far end of the glade, a dull earthy colored cottage made from stacked stones. The roof was sturdy thatching, looking as though it had been meticulously built to withstand harsh elements. To the left of the house was a smaller structure, possibly used for storage. A pen with a few animals including a cow and a horse took up most of the left side of the area, and a few scattered chickens plucked eagerly at the ground around them, ignoring the newcomers.

Instantly, Kagome noted that this seemed off. This was not how the people of this time typically built houses, at least not random cabins in the middle of the woods. Palaces and castles owned by wealthy lords and ladies were erected out of rock, not single shacks standing by themselves in the middle of nowhere. She braced herself, pointing to the cabin. "I can sense it, it's coming from inside there!"

Before Kagome could speak again to her friends, Inuyasha was already brashly marching on ahead, calling out to whoever lived here. "Alright, whoever you are, come on out!" There was a collective sigh within the group.

Without warning, an arrow shot forward, landing just in front of Inuyasha's foot. Whoever had shot it did not miss on purpose, this was a warning shot. Inuyasha growled, positioning himself in a defensive crouch. "Nice try, but a couple of arrows aren't going to be enough to stop me! Be a man and show yourself!"

Out of the branches of a nearby tree swiftly lunged a young woman, easily landing on the roof of her home, another arrow already notched and pointed at Inuyasha's face. "I think you would find that my arrows would hurt a bit more than you're used to." Her stern voice hung heavy with warning, and even Inuyasha gave pause before barking at her again. "You have a shard of the Shikon jewel, and we've come to claim it. Now hand it over!"

Kagome took a moment to study the woman standing above them. Inuyasha had put them in a dangerous position, and they were very open to attack. Her eyes swept quickly over their opponent. Hardened boiled leather armor sat upon her shoulders and knees, and her chest was protected by a thick leather tunic. Straps ran across the black leather with various buckles, and a few pouches hung from the woman's waist. A dark cloak covered her shoulders and hung down to her knees, and various splashes of color accented her outfit where small trophies had been tied. She looked to be around Kagome's age, but carried herself differently, with an air of experience that Kagome could only guess would come with years and years of hard training.

The woman's face was partially covered by a dark hood that hung low over her brow, barely showing her blue eyes. Long brown hair flowed from under the cloak. Her face was angular, and surprisingly beautiful. If she didn't know any better, she would have called this woman a demon. But she wasn't, she was a human. She was..

"Inuyasha, stop! She's a priestess!"

Inuyasha's head jerked up and he yelled out a confused, "What?" At the same moment, the woman's eyes lifted and appraised Kagome and her clothes, and suddenly the sharp expression faded from her face, replaced with one of wonder. "You..." she breathed, intensely focused on Kagome now.

She easily jumped down, striding quickly over to where Kagome, Shippo, Miroku, Sango, and Kirara were standing, brushing right past Inuyasha as if he wasn't there. "Hey! Come back here I wasn't through with you!" Inuyasha huffed, but this stranger just ignored him until she was directly in front of Kagome.

Kagome didn't understand it, but she no longer felt fear, seeing her face. They stood motionless in front of one another for a moment longer, before the woman spoke.

"You're from the future, too?"


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's notes: This is just the set up stuff. I guess I wanted to introduce Azami's character in a way that seemed a bit more natural than just BAM HERE SHE IS. Next chapter should be getting into some Sesshomaru stuff, but for now, backstory~_

 **CHAPTER TWO**

Much to Inuyasha's annoyance, they were invited into the cottage and now sat around a large wooden table. Everyone was rather eager to hear what this ranger had to say. Once everyone was settled in, she began speaking.

"First, let me introduce myself. I am Azami, priestess of these woods." Her eyes flicked nervously over to Kagome, and she added, "you will have to excuse my formal way of speaking, it has been quite some years since I entertained guests." Kagome nodded in understanding, urging Azami to continue. Everyone was on the edge of their seats, even Inuyasha, who had allowed his anger to fizzle away.

Azami began again. "I was not always a priestess, I mean, I used to be a normal human. Even more so, I am not originally from this time. Years ago, I found a portal that allowed me to travel between my era and this past one." Kagome's eyes widened in amazement. "I had no idea there was more than one way to cross into this era besides the well by Kaede's village! How long ago did you discover this?"

Azami sheepishly pursed her lips, contemplating her answer. Kagome got the sense that there was more of a normal person under her façade, covered up by the hardened warrior that had been forged by the feudal era. "It was over a hundred years ago that I originally came to this land."

The air in the cottage stilled as everyone went quiet, holding their breath. Sango was the one to speak up this time, gently pressing for more information. "Yet you don't look to be older than 20. If you are human, how is this possible?" Azami nodded her head at their confusion, glancing away at the fireplace as if deciding on how much information to tell them. Kagome decided to speak first. "If it would help, let me tell you about how I managed to come here." At this Azami perked up, her shoulders relaxing a bit. Kagome explained how she had fallen into the well, attacked by a centipede demon, how she found Inuyasha, and how the Shikon no Tama had been inside of her...

At this Azami's eyes widened. "You held the Shikon no Tama inside of you! How did you get it out?"  
"The centipede demon just kinda bit me, and it shot out of my side.." Kagome was trying to read Azami's face, but she couldn't understand the sudden interest in her tone.

Azami's expression relaxed once again, her mouth forming into a hard line. "I see. Ah.. Let me explain my rudeness.. I hold within my body something called the Tokay jewel.." The group gasped, but Azami did not let them ask questions, instead continuing on. "I was 24 when I stumbled upon an entrance to the feudal era within my family's shrine back home, same as you. Though mine was not inside a well, thank goodness.." Her eyes shone briefly with a glint of amusement in them, and Kagome couldn't help but smile at her.

"I did not understand how, but I managed to pass through. Once here, I found myself directly in the middle of a massive battle between a demon lord and a fierce warrior priestess. I watched as they viciously fought each other, but ultimately the priestess was stronger and slew the beast. She was weakened however, and I attempted to lend her aid as she lay bleeding on the ground before me.. With the last of her strength she sealed the jewel inside of me, binding it to my life, and my life to it. I don't know if she gave me her miko powers, or if the jewel itself bestowed powers to its protector, but I found that I too had miko powers after that.

"I was confused and scared, so I went home. But nothing was the same after that. I felt wrong, out of place. There was something inside of me that kept urging me to come back to this time, so I began visiting regularly. I was a recent college graduate, living on my own, so I didn't have to explain my absence to my family or friends. I learned how to control my powers, and practiced every day. I covered my bases, and made money by looting monsters I would kill here and selling their coins and artifacts in my time. I made good money this way, and really didn't have to do it very often to pay for rent. I was only ever briefly home, but still needed somewhere to come back to. After a few years passed, I realized something.. I wasn't aging, my features were unchanged. At first I thought nothing of it, but by the time I should have been 30, I still looked 24. More years passed, I became rather proficient with my miko abilities. As I traveled, I discovered I had incredible healing abilities as well. But somehow there were demons that caught word that I harbored the Tokay jewel inside of me. There were many that came after me, attempting to take the jewel for themselves. But they did not understand. The jewel cannot be removed. It is permanent. And I was not willing to die so easily.

"I finally decided to tell my family about this.. They were perplexed, but understood.. If any family was going to fathom what was happening to me, it was going to be mine. They were well versed in the ways of old because they maintained the shrine. They tried to be as understanding as possible, but it was hard for them. My mother and father were supportive, but you could tell by the looks on their faces that it was strange and hard for them, the 'older' I became, forever unchanging. They wanted a normal life for me, something I could never have. My sister, who used to find it so amazing, began to despise me as she grew in age. I think she wanted this for herself. After our parents died, we spoke very little, though she did allow me to keep a room at our parents' house at the shrine. Eventually I had to get rid of my apartment, once people started to point out how I never seemed to get any older. I moved back into the shrine but still spent most of my time here. When my sister died, well.. I'm now the last of us. The shrine belongs to me, but I just hire others to maintain it while I am away. I do go back on occasion. I enjoy some of modern day's pleasures too much.

"When my presence here began drawing in too many demons around me, I could no longer safely stay within villages, so I moved here. Though it has been many years since anyone has come after the Tokay jewel. It's almost though it has been forgotten." She finally paused, letting the others fully absorb all that she had told them.

Miroku was the first to speak. "It has been quite some time since I had heard of the Tokay no Kedamono. It's almost hard to believe that anyone let it fall into myth."

Azami nodded her head and spoke solemnly. "Yes, upon understanding that demons were searching restlessly for the one who possessed the Tokay jewel, I turned to trusted friends to help spread rumors that it had been destroyed. I needed to vanish. If others believed me to be dead, then the villages with people I cared for would no longer be in danger. This was the only importance to me." Azami looked down into her lap, her face unreadable to all but Kagome. She understood, and could see this woman's loneliness under her mask.

Kagome had no idea the extent that a miko's powers could be. When asked, Azami's face brightened and she grinned eagerly. "Check this out." It seemed that a little of her old self was resurfacing, and Kagome was glad that they could give the woman some much needed company. Kagome's expression suddenly shifted as she watched Azami hold her hands out, concentrating her energy in her palms. There, right before their eyes Azami was able to manifest a bow made from pure energy. Its spectral form glowed purple and slightly transparant, vibrating the air around them with power. "Holy shit! Kagome why the hell can't _you_ do that!" Inuyasha cried out in wonder, not taking his eyes off the bow that had suddenly appeared in front of them. Never in all his years had he seen someone do something like that.

Azami laughed happily, and appraised the group around her. She was indeed glad to have company, and this group of travelers (even the half-demon!) were of great comfort to her. She missed this.

The next couple of hours were spent gathered around the table still. Tea was made, and more stories of Azami's abilities were told. There was much Kagome had yet to learn of her miko powers, but now she knew what could be possible. By the time they were through, the sun was beginning to sink in the sky. It would be dark soon enough. Shippo was the first to bring up food, and Azami grinned easily at him now, feeling completely comfortable around her new friends.

A large stag that she had been preparing was tossed over the fire, and bits of the venison was sliced off and put into a pot of soup left to boil. Smells unlike anything that they had breathed in before in this world began to waft up from the cooking food. "Azami, this smells amazing!" Sango declared as she inhaled deeply.

Azami nodded her head in delight. "That's one perk of modern times- spices! And salt. I definitely love salt." This made everyone chuckle a little, even Inuyasha, who seemed to be enjoying himself more than normal. Kagome nodded her head in agreement, "Honestly though, the food here is so bland without it, I don't know how anyone can stand it."

While waiting on dinner to cook, Shippo and Kirara went outside to explore, followed by Inuyasha. Kagome spent her time going through some of Azami's collections of healing herbs, documented in tidy journals with beautiful flowing handwriting. Sango helped tend to the food, intrigued by the mass array of spices that Azami had collected in her pantry. Only once did Miroku try and make a move on the beautiful priestess, and Azami slapped his hand so hard that it fractured his finger.

Miroku bit back squeals of pain as Azami gave him a stern look. Kagome and Sango tried hard not to laugh, but failed terribly. Azami called Kagome over to her and Miroku. "This is perfect, I want to show you something," Azami said as she took Miroku's injured hand in hers. He winced at the pain but made no comment, slightly intimidated by this quick woman.

Azami hovered her other hand above Miroku's and closed her eyes. A purple glow began shining from her palm, and Miroku's eyes widened in fear and amazement. A few moments later, and it stopped. "W-what was that?" He asked before flexing his hand, then calling out again, "It's healed! It doesn't hurt anymore! How did you do that so fast!"

Azami grinned and said, "I told you, there's a lot of things a miko can do, once she practices enough." Kagome was in complete awe. "You could be stronger than Kikiyo!"

For a moment the Priestess' eyes were filled with pride, but suddenly grew dark. When she spoke however, her voice was thinly layered with sadness. "Mortal humans may simply not have the time to discover such things with their powers. I have until forever to hone mine."

The room fell silent, and Kagome opened her mouth to speak. Before she could, Azami spun around and clapped her hands together. "I believe it's dinner time! Would one of you mind fetching the others outside?" At the mention of food and her upbeat tone, Miroku smiled and headed out of the cabin to call to the others, and Sango began setting the table. It had been a long time since they had eaten a hot meal and sat at an actual table. Kagome was going to reach out to Azami, but decided against it. The woman seemed to not want to push the subject further.

Azami could tell that Kagome wanted to say more, but she would spare her those words. It was nothing she hadn't heard before. Being around people and companions truly made her happy, but.. She had sacrificed that life long ago to protect those she cared about, and they had been able to live long happy lives because of it. But now.. Had enough time passed for her to safely wander the world again? It had been many a moon since the world knew of the existence of the Tokay no Kedamono. Perhaps its presence truly had faded into a simple children's tale, and Azami would once again be allowed to freely walk the world of man.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's notes: I'm really happy to see people favoriting and reading this! Reviews help motivate me to update faster, so I appreciate it a ton if you review. Letting me know what you like/dislike helps me improve. :)_

 _'Text such as this indicates a characters' thoughts to themselves.'_

 **CHAPTER THREE**

Dinner was delicious. Each of them relished the savory flavors of the venison, and eagerly went back for seconds. By the time everyone was full, it was late into the night.

"Please come this way, I will show you to your room. It's rather large, and should accommodate all of you." Azami's kind voice led them through her home, which was a bit larger than they had initially thought. "I built this just in case I ever had company, but I never expected to have so many guests at once, I hope this is alright."

Kagome waved her hands dismissively. "Oh my goodness, you have done more than enough for us! We appreciate everything, this is absolutely perfect!" Was she gushing? Maybe a little. But Kagome couldn't help herself, this was too fascinating to her. There was so much she could learn from her new friend. It was almost too hard to believe, all of this. There was another jewel in the world like the Shikon no Tama- perhaps even more powerful. The priestess who protected it was essentially fused with the jewel, and had acquired immortality, perhaps. And said priestess was pretty much a badass. Kagome truly hoped that she would be willing to teach her, even travel with them. She planned on asking her in the morning.

Azami saw to it that everyone was settled in and comfortable, even Kirara had enough room to transform into her larger form and stretch out if she wanted to. They all thanked her, save for Inuyasha who sat in a corner of the room, looking down at the ground silently. Kagome was going to pester him about thanking her, but decided against it. They all had a long day, and it was a lot to take in. Azami bid them all one last goodnight before leaving.

Nightfall had shrouded the house in complete darkness before something suddenly stirred. Careful not to wake the others, Inuyasha navigated through the sleeping bodies of his companions and out into the hall. His keen eyesight led him through the black before making his way into the main room they had first spoken in. The last embers of the fire still flickered in the stone fireplace, giving some light to the dim lodging. His ears told him that the miko he was looking for was still awake, and somewhere outside. Pushing open the wooden door, he made his way in her direction.

The lovely priestess was sitting on top of the roof looking up at the stars, a small orb of energy floating near her head and slightly illuminating the area around her. Without turning her head, she spoke to him.

"Inuyasha, please, join me."

He flattened his ears back and jumped, landing easily beside the miko. The air was still for a moment, before he said anything. "Look, I don't mean to come across as rude or anything but-"

"Inuyasha, from the way you carry yourself I really don't think you particularly care whether or not you come across as rude."

He snorted and growled, "But I'm having some problems understanding something. If you're so strong, why would you stay here, tucked away in your stupid woods while the rest of the world fights your battles? Have you even heard of Naraku? You could be the one to stop him, and yet you sit here day after day not doing shit! You said it yourself, the jewel can't be removed from your body, so he wouldn't be able to use it for himself, right? And no one knows about its existence anymore? So, what's the big deal?"

Azami let her eyes fall from the sky and to his face. She was quiet for a moment, mulling his words over in her head.

"I've heard of Naraku before, yes. Not a lot, just whispers. I've considered it before, of course. Potentially, best case scenario I leave here to set out and kill him. Ideally his reign of terror would end and peace would be restored.

"But what if people want to know who their champion is? Then what? Everyone would be curious as to who was the one to slay the demon lord. Too many curious minds poking into who I am, eventually it would be realized that I harbor the Tokay no Kedamono. Then I would be no better off from where I started. I've finally made a life here, found peace. Knowledge of the Tokay jewel would bring out demons from hiding that we didn't know existed. It might cause something to rise up that's even worse than Naraku." Her words hung in the air, heavy with regret. It was true, she wished it were just that simple. Go out, kill the bad guy, done deal. But it was never that simple.

"You're a fucking _**coward.**_ You live here with these abilities, these powers that I've never seen a miko possess before, and you're content with hiding in your hole and letting the rest of the world suffer. That's disgusting." By this point Inuyasha was practically hissing at her, not bothering to disguise the anger in his voice.

Azami's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Since when does a half-demon care so much about the fate of humans?"

Inuyasha huffed and turned his gaze away from her. It was true though. Any other demon wouldn't give a rat's ass about the fate of humans. Perhaps it was because half of the blood in his veins _was_ human. Perhaps it was the younger miko sleeping inside the cabin.. His thoughts began to wander and he started losing steam.

"Whatever, old hag. At least I do _something._ "

He left her with that, jumping down from the roof and dashing into the forest below.

Azami took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the chilly night air.

' _Indeed.'_

Morning came swiftly, striking through the windows with blinding light and waking the sleeping forms that lay on the floor of the cottage. Kagome softly walked past her friends as they were slowly waking and joined Azami in the main room once more. She had barely been able to sleep, excitement bubbling in her chest at the chance to ask the fierce priestess to come with them. Kagome didn't know what the young woman's reaction would be, but she hoped Azami would at least consider. All else aside, if Kagome was able to learn just a small amount of skill from the priestess.. Suddenly a voice broke through her thoughts.

"Kagome, good morning. How did you sleep?" Azami had turned around and had been staring at Kagome for a moment now, expecting her to speak first.

Kagome shook her hear to clear her thoughts as a blush flared on her cheeks. "Oh very well, thank you for asking!" Her nervous laugh probably gave away the fact that she was lying, as if the bags under her eyes weren't enough. But before Azami could say anything else, Kagome sat down next to the woman and put her hand gently on her arm. Hesitantly, she took a deep breath and began.

"Look, Azami.. I've been thinking about it, and I was wondering if you'd like to join us in the search for the Shikon jewel shards. I know you're worried about the Tokay jewel becoming known to other demons again, but you can't just sit here and waste your life away because you're afraid something bad _could_ happen. If I've learned anything, it's that having friends and loved ones is what makes life so enjoyable. We would never let anything bad happen to you. After all, we're friends now!" Kagome's face lit up with happiness at her own words. She truly did mean what she said. There was already an undeniable bond between the two mikos despite having known each other less than a day. There was just something about Azami that felt good and pure to Kagome. The world needed a little bit more of that.

Azami's face was a bit in shock over Kagome's words. Friends. It had been so long since she had really had any. In her attempt to protect others, she had neglected her own wants and desires. Of course she wanted companionship, but how could she allow herself such pleasures? Looking into Kagome's hopeful eyes, her own grew softer and a smile spread across her lips.

"Kagome, you are too kind.." Her words were soft, and Azami bowed to the miko in front of her. Thoughts of Inuyasha flashed in her mind, and she once again considered his words. She didn't know if she truly was stronger than Naraku, or if her strength would aid in his destruction. If she were to leave...

Pain shot through her heart at the memory of her lost loved ones. She missed her parents desperately. She missed having friends and conversation. There was practically a physical pull at the mention of being part of something again, having that kind of contact with others. Lending her sword, eliminating evil. Her brow furrowed with frustration at herself. She had a _responsibility_ though. How could she dismiss that so _easily_? Her voice wavered when she finally spoke. She couldn't bring herself to pick her eyes up from the floor.

"You are too kind, but I don't believe I can do that just yet." Her tone was slower, maybe not obviously laced with sadness but Kagome could sense it. "You are kind to offer your invitation, but I must decline. Please, excuse me." And with that, Azami rose from her seat and walked outside. Almost at the same time Miroku and Sango appeared from the hallway and joined Kagome in the den. "What was that about?" Sango trailed off, looking in the direction of the doorway. Kagome sighed and mumbled while she too got up, "I asked her to come with us. She said she couldn't."

Sango's face turned towards the young woman, her expression softening as she reached out to touch her shoulder. "Sometimes we think we're doing the right thing for the people that we love. It's hard to get over losing others. We don't know who all Azami has lost because of the Tokay jewel. Perhaps she will change her mind at some point. We've got to give her the chance to make that decision herself, though."

Sango's reassuring smile was just what Kagome needed. She nodded her head in agreement and straightened her shoulders. Perhaps all Azami would need was time.

It wasn't long before all of them had once again gathered in the main den of the cabin, and a peaceful mood had resumed among the friends. Although Inuyasha was sitting off to the side, even his attitude flare seemed to be put on hold for the time being. Another fantastic meal was prepared, this time of grilled salmon and rice, and the six of them began getting ready to shove off once more.

Azami led them through a path they had not seen before, and directed them through the forest and out of the woods. Before them stretched a golden meadow and rolling hills. It was truly a stunning view.

"Please, if you ever change your mind, promise me you'll come and find us!" Azami couldn't help but smile at Kagome's hopeful words. She nodded in agreement, not wanting to meet Inuyasha's eyes. She guessed that neither of them had told the other that they had wanted to speak to her about leaving her woods, although under different reasons. She wouldn't mention anything to Kagome about the dog demon's outburst the previous night. No need to cause a fight between them.

"If I do, I will seek you out. It was a pleasure meeting all of you. I wish you all safe travels."

Making sure that their packs were loaded with food and supplies, Azami watched as the companions waved and made their way into the distance. She had pointed them in the direction of the nearest town, though it was still a solid distance away. Seeing their silhouettes grow smaller and smaller caused Azami's smile to disappear and the looming loneliness to once again return.

It was bad enough that she disciplined herself to stay in these woods without companionship, but after meeting this group of friends, it was even harder not to want that for herself as well.

She shook her head, trying to get rid of her straying thoughts. Adjusting the bow on her back, she turned and made her way once again into the shade of the forest.

After a solid four days of traveling, Kagome was happy to see signs of life once again as fields of crops and small farm houses began popping up around them. "I bet we're less than a day's journey away from the town!" Before anyone could agree with her, a loud bellow sounded from the road ahead, and their attention suddenly shifted to a strange looking man on the back of a cow. Inuyasha took up a defensive stance between this newcomer and Kagome, his hand gripped tightly on the hilt of Tessaiga.

The old man shuffled forward, and was eventually introduced at Totosai, the blacksmith who had forged the very sword Inuyasha was carrying. Myoga the flea was able to assure everyone of his identity, allowing Inuyasha to relax a bit.

"Please, you must protect me, Inuyasha!" Totosai's elderly voice wavered in panic. "There is a great demon threatening my life!"

"You could at least say please!" Inuyasha barked back at him, his expression twisting.

Totosai's attention was suddenly drawn to a spot behind them, as a brilliant flash of light and a large boom rumbled the ground beneath their feet. "Shit! What now!?" Inuyasha coughed as he waved dust out of his face.

The air eventually cleared to reveal a regal demon lord standing before them. Magenta stripes adorned his cheeks and golden eyes narrowed in amusement at the pathetic display before him. The corners of his lips couldn't help but turn up in mocking.

Kagome gasped and Inuyasha hissed in anger. "Sesshomaru!"

His deep voice rumbled low in his chest. "Good to see you, brother."


End file.
